Turkey Security Operations Continue Following Overnight Coup Bid

Security operations are continuing in Turkey following a failed military coup attempt overnight that left around 90 people dead and about 1,100 injured.

Government officials said on July 16 that 1,563 army personnel had been arrested. Five generals and 29 colonels have been removed from their posts for suspected involvement in the bid to overthrow the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“A group within the military carried out an attempt, outside of the chain of command, to overthrow the democratically elected government,” Erdogan’s office said in a statement early on July 16.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim called an extraordinary session of parliament for July 16 to discuss the crisis.

The coup plotters used tanks and aircraft during the night, including attacks on the parliament building and the president’s office in Ankara. The headquarters of Turkey’s intelligence service also came under attack during the night.

The state-run news agency Anadolu reported that some 200 unarmed soldiers at the Turkish military headquarters had surrendered to government security forces.